Vasilissa Manova, Assistant Professor, PhD Building 21 Office 106, Lab 211, 221 Phone: +359 (2) 979 2678 Е-mail: vmanova@bas.bg

Professional interests

Molecular mechanisms of plant stress response to DNA damage. Activity and genetic control of DNA repair in plants, Radiation-induced stress response in barley. Molecular mechanisms of seed ageing. Radiation-induced DNA damage and repair in mammalian cells. Molecular identification and genotyping of fungal pathogens in cereals and horticultural plants.

Еducation and academic qualifications

• 2008 – Assistant professor, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
• 2007 PhD in Genetics, Institute of Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
• 1999-2002 PhD student, Institute of Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
• 1997 MSc, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” Faculty of Biology

 Fellowships and other grants

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) grant No.: C6/BUL/17002, 2017, Project: “Molecular mechanism of seed ageing in barley” Supervisor: Dr. Christopher West, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
• European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) award ASTF 261-2008, Project: “Efficiency of backup NHEJ in relation to chromatin structure”, Supervisor: Prof. George Iliakis, Institute of Medical Radiation Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany
• FAO/IAEA grant for participation in the 6^th Interregional theoretical and practical course „Mutant germplasm characterization using molecular markers”, 2006, Plant Breeding and Genetics Unit, Agriculture & Biotechnology Laboratory, Seibersdorf, Austria
• ICGEB grant for participation in the theoretical course “Genome dynamics and evolution” 2004, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy.
• FESPP grant to attend the XII Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiologists (FESPP, August 21–25, 2000, Budapest, Hungary)

International training

• Host Laboratory: Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom, Supervisor: Dr. Christopher West, 2017, 3 months
• Host Laboratory: Institute of Medical Radiation Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, Supervisor: Prof. George Iliakis, – year 2009 – 3 months; year 2010 – 3 months; year 2013 – 3 months
• FAO/IAEA Agriculture & Biotechnology Laboratory, Seibersdorf, Austria, May-June 2006.

Membership in Scientific Organizations

Union of Scientists in Bulgaria – section Genetics

Supervisory and teaching activities

Supervisor of two PhD students from IPPG

Supervisor of three master students

 Current projects

• IAEA National TC Project BUL5016„Improving the Productivity and Quality of Economically Important Crops through Mutation Breeding and Biotechnology“ 2020-2022.
• КП-06-Н21/8: „Mechanisms of recovery from drought and frost-induced desiccation: strategies for survival of the resurrection plant Haberlea rhodopensis“, 2018-2021. Project coordinator: Prof. Katya Georgieva.
• National Research Program: „Healthy nutrition for a strong bioeconomy and quality of life“, 2019-2022. Project coordinator from IPPG – BAS: Prof. Violeta Velikova.
• National Research Program: „Environmental protection and reduction of the risk for adverse climate changes“, 2019-2023. Project coordinator from IPPG – BAS: Prof. Valya Vassileva

 Main completed projects

• National TC project IAEA-Vienna Bul5014 “Screening of cereal germplasm stress response and adaptation potential by advanced nuclear, omics and physiological approaches” 2016-2017 – participant
• Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science, “Program for support of young scientists in BAS”, „Epigenetic modulatory effects of Bulgarian medicinal plant Cotinus coggygria Scop. in human tumor cells in vitro” – Scientific Supervisor
• IAEA-Vienna RC 15481 “Isolation and Characterization of Genes for Radiation Induced DNA Damage Repair in Barley” Part of Co-ordinated Project: “Isolation and Characterization of Genes Involved in Mutagenesis of Crop Plants” 2009-2014 – Chief Project Investigator
• Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science and European Social Fund BG 051PO001/07/ 3.3–02/25/17.06.2008, 2012-2015 – participant, scientific supervisor
• IAEA-Vienna RER-5/013 „Evaluation of natural and mutant genetic diversity in cereals using nuclear and molecular techniques” 2007-2011 – participant
• 4IAEA-Vienna RC BUL12608 “Chromosomal and DNA alterations in barley mutant lines produced by gamma-irradiation” – CRP “Effects of mutagenic agents on the DNA sequence in plants” 2003-2009 – participant
• Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science and European Social Fund BG 051PO001/07/ 3.3–02/25/17.06.2008, 2008-2010 – participant
• Bulgarian National Science Fund, Genomics Programme, contract №G-1-01 „Functional activity and induction of mutational damage in barley genome” 2004-2008– participant

 Selected publications

Gospodinova Z, Krasteva M, Manova V. „Effects of Cotinus coggygria extract on the transcriptional levels of histone deacetylase genes in breast cancer cells in vitro“. American Journal of Pharmacy & Health Research. 2017, 5(8): 60-69.

I. Manova, R. G. Georgieva, B. P. Borisov, L. M. Stoilov “Efficient removal of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPD) in barley – differential contribution of light-dependent and dark DNA repair pathways“, Physiologia Plantarum, 158 (2), 236-253, 2016.

Rodeva, Stoyanova Z, Manova V, Georgieva R, Stoilov L. Isolation and characterization of Colletotrichum coccodes from potato in Bulgaria, Acta Horticulturae, 1142, 127-134, 2016

I. Manova, D. Gruszka “DNA damage and repair in plants – from models to crops”, Frontiers in Plant Science, 6, 885, 2015.

I Nikolova, M Georgieva, K Kruppa, M Molnár-Láng, K Gecheff, L Liu, V Manova, L. Stoilov Cytogenetic effects in barley root apical meristem after exposure of dry seeds to lithium ion beams. Genetics and Plant Physiology. 5 (1), 3-9, 2015.

V Manova, R. Georgieva, M. Georgieva, I. Nikolova, K. Gecheff, L. Stoilov DNA and chromosomal damage as a hallmark of the induced genomic instability in barley. Genetics and Plant Physiology, 5 (3-4), 231-246, 2015.

M. Stoilov, M. S. Georgieva, V. I. Manova, L. Liu, K. Gecheff “Karyotype reconstruction modulates the sensitivity of barley genome to radiation-induced DNA and chromosomal damage”, Mutagenesis, 28(2), 153, 2013.

I. Manova, S.K. Singh, G. Iliakis “Processing of DNA double-strand breaks by alternative non-homologous end-joining in hyperacetylated chromatin”, Genome integrity, 3(1), 4, 2012.

I. Manova, M. S. Georgieva, B. P. Borisov, B. Stoilova, K. Gecheff, L. M. Stoilov “Genomic and gene-specific induction and repair of DNA damage in barley”, in “Induced Plant Mutations in the Genomics Era”, Q.Y. Shu (ed.), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, 2009, 133.

I. Manova, K. Gecheff, L. M. Stoilov “Efficient repair of bleomycin-induced double-strand breaks in barley ribosomal genes”, Mutation Research, 601, 179, 2006.

I. Manova, L. M. Stoilov “Repair of DNA double-strand breaks in eukaryotic genome”, Genetics and Breeding, 34 (1-2), 39, 2005.

I. Manova, L. M. Stoilov “Induction and recovery of double-strand breaks in barley ribosomal DNA”, DNA repair, 2 (9), 983, 2003.

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